Celebrating the 21st Anniversary of Ukrainian independence, bidding farewell to the outgoing pastor and welcoming a new pastor, as well as praying with the eparchial bishop – these few events were the highlights of the past weekend (23-27 August, 2012) at St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago, IL!

The early sunny hours of Sunday morning, on August 26th, 2012 – brought numerous parishioners of St. Volodymyr Cathedral to their parish temple in order to welcome back from the Mission Trip to Ukrainian Orphanages, the Ruling Hierarch of the Western Eparchy of the UOC of the USA – His Grace Bishop Daniel. The youth of the cathedral community with the great deal of expectation awaited the arrival of their bishop holding bouquets of roses in their hands in order to present them to their Vladyka. One of the youngest children welcoming the bishop, just before his arrival to the cathedral, exclaimed to her mother – “…Look it is our Vladyka walking to the church…” Following the formal greeting from the parish representatives – the parish board of administration president – pani Raisa Bratkiw and the president of the cathedral’s Sisterhood pani Nadia Brushenko, His Grace Bishop Daniel received flowers from the youth and immediately exchanged with the children of the parish family the flowers of love.

Rt. Rev. Archimandrite Pankratij, who was recently elected a bishop for the Holy Orthodox Metropolia of Mexico to serve the needs of numerous Ukrainian and various groups of Slavs in Mexico City, for the very last time welcomed, with tears in his eyes, the eparchial bishop. Vladyka Daniel expressed his personal gratitude to Fr. Pankratij for the 15 years of dedicated service and invited the future bishop to visit the Chicago Ukrainian Orthodox community in the near future.

The Divine Liturgy was served by Bishop Daniel, while Archimadrite Pankratij, Rev. Fr. Ivan Lymar, Very Rev. Fr. Andriy Shelvakh, Rev. Fr. Mykola Dilendorf and Protodeacon Andriy Fronchak concelebrated. Following the Gospel reading, the bishop offered an inspiring sermon, calling upon each in attendance to comprehend their vocation and to live out their Christian calling.

Following the Liturgy, Bishop Daniel presented to the cathedral community, offered a blessing and installed a new pastor of St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral – Rev. Fr. Ivan Lymar with his family in attendance – Dobrodijka Lilia, Svitalan, Olenka and Volodymyr Lymar. Installing the new spiritual father of the parish community, the bishop presented Fr. Ivan with the hand cross, which is to rest on the Holy Altar and to be utilized in the liturgical services. At the conclusion of the service, Fr. Ivan greeted the eparchial bishop and offered himself unconditionally to serve the needs of the parish family entrusted into his spiritual care. The liturgical service concluded with the veneration of the cross from the hands of the new pastor- Fr. Ivan.

As the early hours of Sunday afternoon developed, the clergy and parishioners of St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral, along with their bishop joined the rest of the Ukrainian community in the local Chicago Ukrainian Village park – Smith Park – for the opening ceremony of the official observance of the 21st anniversary of Ukrainian independence. The vent was organized by the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America- IL Branch.

Unfortunately the rainstorms of Sunday afternoon hindered the official celebration of Ukrainian Independence in Chicago area, the bishop, clergy and faithful of the Church visited the participants of the event in Smith Park as well as in the parish hall of St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral.